the accident

We've been enjoying having our daddy home.

God's been teaching us a lot lately and sometimes the lessons aren't very comfortable.

But I'm learning to be teachable.

To be joyful anyways.

No matter what.

To laugh because that's what faith does.

And to cry sometimes because God says that's okay, too.

Sunday night after the youth leadership meeting at our house, Joel left to check on one of the young people and a truck travelling the other direction turned across his lanes.  He was riding his motorcycle and he laid it down right before it hit the truck.  He managed to come out of the accident with only minor road rashes and a neck sprain.

I am praising God for His protection!!  This situation could have been so much worse, but God in His mercy, has spared us.  I know motorcycles are dangerous and I have covered my husband in prayer from the time he purchased it till now.  The real reason behind the purchase was to save money on outrageous gas bills.  But God's bigger than finances and difficulties, than accidents and hardships. 

I'm learning to trust.

I'm learning even amidst the trials to be thankful.  So very, very thankful for every minute God grants us here on this earth to blaze forth His glory.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

P.S.  we're simplifying over here.  needs vs wants and some wants have to go for a time...so I won't have internet service but I hope I can blog intermittently until we get it again.  (I just realized that's what I do already:  blog intermittently!  I do have grand hopes of blogging daily though, it's one of my lifetime goals...haha)

Today is a blessing!

we share germs

The last week without our daddy has not been without it's challenges.  I honestly don't think I would have made it without my beautiful mother.  Thad and Boston have ear infections, Astair has tonsillitis, Legend has a sinus infection, and now I'm feeling the effects of a sore throat, too.

Fun times, fun times.  We're not graceful sick people over here.  

Definitely not.

But our daddy is coming home tonight!  And that makes us downright happy.

The only bleak spot on tomorrow's horizon is that Grandma will be leaving us.  And Grandmas are such wonderful people, they cook and they clean and they play and they sing.  They kiss bobos and buy band aids for little granddaughters that are a bit obsessed with the sticky things. 

They take us to playgrounds, and beaches, McDonald's and Menchies...

They are wholeheartedly loved by all.

Oh how we will miss you, Grandma Dearest!

P.S. to all my friends:  My new app obsession favorite is instagram.  I Love the photo effects!  Do you have instagram?  Let me know so I can follow you!  My username is joyeful :)  I take more pictures than I have time to blog so instagram has become my newest bestest friend.

up up update on the mission in haiti and laying it all down

I just got some updates on Haiti.  Goodness.  I've been on the edge of my seat lately waiting for a word from the team there.  Praying and waiting.  But certainly staying busy :)  Oh and did I tell you my precious mother flew in from Nebraska to help me this week while Joel is over there?  She's my angel, she really is.  Every text I get from Haiti tears at my heart strings.  Oh but it's good reports!  Incredible, really!  But the pictures just tore me up.

Wednesday night I shared in Joel's place at our youth service.  My heart has been so wrapped up in missions and the great commission, and the cause of Christ that we are all called to take up, I couldn't share on anything but that.  I'm broken.  So broken.  I shared this video.  Every time I watch it I weep.  Don't get me wrong--I'm not overly emotional all day, crying into my soup, but God is certainly making me more sensitive to His Heart.  So much so that at times it gets unbearable and I wish I could just close my eyes to it all for a little while...but then that part of me that's really not me anyways (it's Christ), rises up inside me and reminds me that we MUST NOT CLOSE OUR EYES!  Not even for a minute.  Because we are the answer:  Christ in us is the hope of the world!  The Body of Christ--His Church--is  His chosen vessel to proclaim His freedom for the captives, His good news to the poor, His comfort to all who grieve (Isaiah 61)  

I get asked the question all the time, "If God is so good than why doesn't he do something about all the poverty, the aids, the injustice?"  I read a great parody to that question.  God is asking us the same thing, why haven't we done something about it?  Jesus set the standard.  He showed us how to live, modeled it for us even.  He preached the gospel of the kingdom, healed the sick, fed the hungry, brought hope to the downtrodden, and then he died for all of mankind's freedom.  He told us to do the same.  We are to follow in His footsteps.  The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us who have received the life of Jesus!! (Romans 8:11)

I'm moved.  But I want to be more than moved emotionally.  I want to be moved into action, everyday taking up the Cause of Christ.

The Mission Church property in Jeremie, Haiti: Tonight there were 350 people attending the service!!!!  God, you are truly doing something amazing in the hearts of your Haitian children!! Nick posted a video of one of the worship services and it was incredible to watch! (photo source:  Nick P.)

Joel sent me this picture and I could hear the tears behind it.  They visited a hospital and he wanted to hold every sick child there.  I'm just torn up.  Praying that we can build an orphanage soon, very, very soon and praying that God would grant us the privilege to take one of Haiti's orphans into our home.

(photo source:  Caddie C.)  visiting the village

Joel sent me this picture asking me to pray for this man, Denell, to be miraculously healed.  He is a worship leader and he broke his wrist last year and is in a lot of physical pain.  Please pray with me for Denell's healing!!

(photo source: Nick P.)

"Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands."  

-Isaiah 42:12

joel leaves for haiti and my heart is already there

Dearest Jesus,

I am in awe of the way you work, the way you choose to use us:  your church, your body here on this earth.   Your heart cares for the orphans, for the poor, for the defenseless.  And you hold out your arms day in and day out pleading with us to share your heart's burdens.  Pleading with us to love as you love, to be compassionate instead of merely concerned.

I love the story of how you brought our church to Haiti.  A painting of Haiti delivered with a prophecy that we would one day have a church there...and it hung for years in our pastor's office.  Almost forgotten.  But not quite.  Dreams, visions, and finally a visit to Haiti confirm your call.  Within months, land in Haiti is purchased, our faith is stretched, and miraculous connections are made.  It's almost as if you are reminding us this is your plan.  Your vision.  Your heart.  Your divine assignment.

Plans are underway to build a church, an orphanage, and a school.  And in the meantime, our Haitian pastors took in our first orphan boy, Kensone.  I can't explain my love for this little boy.  It can only come from your heart, Jesus.  I feel like part of my heart is in Haiti now and always will be.

Joel is leaving tomorrow and taking a team from our church to minister to the people in Jeremie, Haiti.

You know how badly I wanted to go with them, but I know there will be time for that in the years to come as my children grow older.  I can't explain my draw to Haiti but I think you also know I would take my whole family there the minute you asked me to go, no matter when and now matter how long.  Go before this team, Jesus, and prepare the hearts of these people you love so dearly to receive your salvation.  Keep them safe, Lord, and may signs and miracles accompany them.

And break our hearts, Jesus.

Won't you please break our hearts for what breaks yours.

help! i'm buried alive under thousands of photographs!

Oh, but I really hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July.

Mine was.

And I had planned to tell you Monday night.

But then I got sidetracked by the other forty fifty posts I had planned to write

between then and now.

All of them overflowing with photographs I spent hours sorting online, offline, and even between the lines.

And after my eyes went bloodshot for the hundredth time from squinting at little picture grids, I came to the conclusion that I am a very erratic blogger

WHO TAKES ENTIRELY TOO MANY PHOTOS.

There.  I said it.

Is there any cure?

celebrating eight years of riding in cars, trucks, (and motorcycles) with a boy I married

It's been a long road, honey...

but the journey has just begun

we've had our share of ups and downs

twists and turns

But we've held on tight

sat close on the curves

and made a decision

to keep our eyes on the destination

and not the rear view mirror

Eight years ago...

we decided two was better than one

in the service of Jesus

and that makes three

strands not easily broken

and stronger than ever.

Happy Anniversary again, baby!

Life is ALWAYS an adventure with you!

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love you more today than ever.

P.S. Our anniversary was really yesterday and we celebrated the day before that because that's just the way it happens after eight years :)

what I love now and what I'll love then

My Jesus, My Lord,

The things I love the most now 

are things I never appreciated 

quite as much before...

My childhood:

Oh I thought I had it rough

Miles and miles from nowhere

But now I miss the wide open sky

the endless waves of sandy hills

Prairie grass nodding to the wind

That hometown feeling you get

when the girl at the cash register

was your classmate in highschool

and your algebra teacher

is in the checkout line behind you

Everyone is connected somehow

in a small town

Are there things I will love 

more than ever later in life

that I don't appreciate 

near as much now?

I imagine I will long for the days

I barely have time to brush my teeth

because I'm so busy brushing 

everyone else's

Or the time it takes to dress four kids,

wipe four faces, tie eight shoelaces,

and do it all over again in ten minutes

I don't want to begrudge even a moment

you've given me, Lord

Because moments make memories

the most treasured in life

P.S. We said our goodbyes to the ranch this weekend and now we are back home in Louisiana.  We've got a treasure chest full of pictures and memories and memoirs.  Can't wait to share them now that I have the internet...(smile).

at home on the range



Blizzard and Jenny



Lost Creek Cattle barn transported  piece by piece from Fort Niobrara's U.S. Calvary in the 1800's


We arrived.  At three a.m. Sunday morning, past the shadow of the Lost Creek barn, at the end of a ten mile gravel driveway and a 12 hour trip, we finally arrived.  My kids slept fitfully (they woke up screaming every ten minutes) and I was frazzled (still recovering), but we made it.  Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, and Glory to God.

Kids are amazing.  They are like Energizer bunnies that keep going and going and going and going...
And they've loved every minute we've been here at my home ranch.  My brother Jody has two kids close in age to my oldest and we've had so much fun with him and his family and all the family out here.

Swimming in a cattle tank my brother set up for us (that's my brother on the right--he's a purple heart vet):

Sitting bareback on Jenny and feeding the horses treats:

Paddleboating on our pond:

and I could go on and on about all the experiences my kids are soaking up.

We love being home on the range!

p.s.  we are vitually in the middle of nowhere (I think we pulled into a gas station the other night that was called that) and access to the internet is a bit limited, so I apologize if I don't post as frequently

leaving on a jet plane...

I apologize ahead of time if you are going to be on a certain flight to Denver tomorrow....

I will be traveling solo mommy-o with four little ones in tow.  And we are not the quietest family--no, I am sure it will be highly entertaining.  I'll have you know I'm bringing A LOT of snacks to keep their little flappers busy, along with crafts, crayons, books, games, toys, and whatever else I could stuff into an already bulging carry-on and their backpacks.

We're going to visit my family on our ranch in Nebraska.  Three whole weeks in the middle of nowhere!  Now that is the way to vacation!  The kids are so excited, it's all they can talk about.  When I tried to explain to them that daddy wasn't coming right away but he would be there for the last week of our trip, they somehow came to the conclusion that daddy's truck would be pulled by a looooong rope tied to the plane and that's why he would be late.  Mmmmmmhmmmm....sweet imagination.

It's been almost two years since I've been home.  I'm looking forward to this trip.  Last time it took me three whole days in the van with three restless kids...and I swore I'd never do it again.  But this time--oh thank you, Jesus!--we have a direct flight into Denver where my dad will meet us and drive us the six hours to the ranch.  Sigh.  Sigh.  Really deep sighs of relief.

Now all I have to do is keep my kids from driving all the passengers on the plane crazy...

oh pinterest oh pinterest your pins are ever changing

Is anyone else totally addicted to pinterest?

I love all the inspiration!!

It's like all your favorite fashion and design magazines minus the fluff.

Just the good stuff.

For example, I'm planning our summer--

and the way I plan is a little random alright?

Okay, the truth is I'm not much of a planner at all...

But I'm a dreamer!

So....I'm dreaming of what our summer will look like....

First, we'll all sip on strawberry milk for breakfast occasionally on really special days that we'll decide are special just because....

{sharnell dollar designs via my pinterest}

And I will look this fabulous (dreaming here, don't interrupt me now)....

{lookbook.nu via pinterest}

Then we'll head out to the pond with these in tow....

{bedifferentactnormal.com via pinterest}

And of course Astair will be dressed just like this....

{prettylittlethings.typepad.com via pinterest}

But we may all wake up on the wrong side of the bed...

And that's ok, too.

We'll just start all over again tomorrow.

p.s.  are you on pinterest?  let me know!  I want to follow you!

you can follow me here.

we are so weird

But you knew that already, right?

Our Memorial Day consisted of swimming with an alligator, eating dozens of boiled crawfish, lots of fun with family, snacking on luscious desserts, and oh did I mention swimming with an alligator?

Yep.

We're weird.

I know what you're thinking:  cake and an alligator all in one post?  Hey, at least I'm leaving you with a picture of the cake!

p.s.  the alligator my kids named "Jengo" was realeased that same day back into the wild where Joel caught it the night before--with his bare hands.  crazy, crazy man.

Dauphin Island and God's Favorite

p.s.  the titles for my posts won't let me capitalize them...and it's really bugging me...

"The sound of the waves crashing on the beach and receding again remind me what God's breath must sound like."

Sweet Rebecca's words made my skin tingle with awareness that first day we walked anxiously to the shore.  There's just something about the beach that makes you feel the vastness of God in ways your mind never could comprehend before.  His glory blazes:  in the perfectly orchestrated rhythm of the tides, in the never-ending horizon, in the wild force of the waves, and the unrestrained wind in your hair.

My God who holds the oceans in the palm of his hand, yet can still hold my heart in the safety of his arms;  whose breath is the ocean's roar, yet whose whispers are as gentle as soft rain.

My God takes my breath away.

And this is the God who pursues me:  heart and soul.  Who am I that He loves me so lavishly?

It was the purpose God had for this vacation I took the girls in my small group class on (but I knew it would be so much more than just a vacation--it is always more when God is the one planning it).

He lured us away to speak tenderly to us.  (Hosea 2:14)

We played, we laughed until our sides ached, we shared our hearts, and then the sun set and our lovely girl with a guitar and a heart in tune with heaven led us into more worship.  Not just songs sung from memory, requiring little thought, but instead the thoughts of heaven became the songs that night under the stars.  God's thoughts toward us being sung to our hearts.

God's words, his spirit words, his living words:  he gives them little by little as we are obedient to share them.  And we shared them as sisters, through song and through prayer.  For one daughter of his, he tells her that he smiles on her, that he's not disappointed with her, he's washed her sins away like footprints in the sand on the seashore, he's pleading with her to let him love her.  For another of his beloved's, he gently reminds her not to compare herself with anyone else--the gifts he's given her are important to him and he has entrusted them to her.  He says her smile lights up the room, like a glimpse of heaven he's given the earth.

And His word to us all:  that we are his favorite.  

YOU are God's favorite.  There is no one like you.  No one that touches his heart like you do, because you are matchless, unique, exclusively you.   The good news (and the news I especially need to hear often) is that he doesn't pick favorites based on performance, but on creation: you are created in His image and loved for who you are by a God whose breath is the ocean's roar.

a pool, a pig, a party....oh and blueberry cupcakes

On Monday....

we made fresh blueberry cupcakes from the blueberry bush in our backyard

On Tuesday....

we bought a pig

On Wednesday....

we went swimming in Mimi's pool

And tonight....

It's a party for the youth group!  Rap artist Tru Serva reelin' it out, a greased pig contest (don't worry--the cute little piggy will not be harmed in any way), and a game of capture the flag!

And on Friday....

Leavin' for a beach getaway with the girls in my small group Bible class.

What a way to kick off the summer.

this was the end that came and went

haha...I just couldn't resist

my kinder grad and our journey to homeschool

Thad the Man

My Little Thaddeus graduated kindergarten on Wednesday. Bittersweet day!  He looked every part the little man in his striped tweed suit and zipper tie.  He thought his outfit was pretty cool stuff.  He insisted on wearing his tie outside his vest just he could zip it up and zip it down.  Really, whoever invented the zipper tie is genius.

I am so proud of my little boy.  I've watched him mature leaps and bounds this past year.  He's overcome a lot and  to see him standing ramrod straight completely at attention for the entire two hour kindergarten bridging ceremony was nothing short of a miracle!  My heart just about burst.  He was such a little gentlemen.

I think I'm just about as excited for school to be over as Thad is!  This year has not been without it's difficulties.  Kindergarten was a big transition for Thaddeus who had never been to daycare or preschool and had to adjust quickly to an accelerated program.  He loved school and loved his teacher, but there were a lot of immaturity issues (not being able to stand still, pay attention, making noises, etc.) and it was hard for him.  I'm just so thankful that he was surrounded by teachers and administrators that loved him and were praying for him.  I was certainly praying for him!  All day every day!  

I've had a couple conferences with Thad's teacher and she told me what I already knew:  Thad learns best one on one.  You know how there's some things you just "know"?  I've known for several years that I want to homeschool my kids.  With our busy schedule in the ministry and working part time, homeschooling just seems like the best option for keeping or family first.  This year, I noticed character traits that I want to help Thaddeus learn, but even more importantly than that, I want him to learn things through the truth of God's word.  I want to teach his heart AND his mind.  Moral excellence should always come before academic excellence.  And I'm not saying that's impossible if children are in public school.  I've just learned this year that it puts me on the defense (constantly having to refute the negative influences) instead of the offense.

I don't think homeschooling is for everyone.  I'll be the first to say that.  I went to public school and that worked for me.  It was the best decision for my family then.  Although I will say that I was the only person in my class from fifth to eighth grade--it was a small two room country school!  Joel attended private school and that was the best decision for him.  Every family is certainly different.  And every school district has its pros and cons.

It's been pretty amazing to witness how God has led us to this decision.  Even though I knew I wanted to homeschool, Joel was decidedly against it.  We shared our concerns on both sides and talked freely about it but we both felt very strongly about our differing opinions.  I was beginning to feel desperate and was convinced that I had to make Joel see things my way.  That only pushed him farther in the other direction.  I knew I needed to let him make the final decision and Joel rarely makes decisions that I don't agree with, we are always able to compromise and reach common ground.  But this time it was different.  He wasn't budging.  So I let it go-- I don't know how I did it, I can only say that God gave me the grace!  I handed it over to God.  I submitted myself to God's will and I respected my husband's decision.  I didn't hold it against him and nag him constantly about it.  I prayed about it instead.  I asked God to change my husband's heart if this was the direction He wanted our family to go.  

And you know what?  God did it!  A few months ago Joel came to me and told me, "Baby, I was wrong and you were right.  I think we should homeschool.  I'm 100% for it."  And now he is almost as excited as I am about homeschooling!  Wow.  Prayer works!  I've been looking at bible-based curriculum on the web and I've been so impressed.

I've never been so excited for school to start!

"yeah, I'm cool."

The Outtakes: